Economics Override History for Belgrade and Ankara

After a long period of distant, often frosty relations, Turkey and Serbia appear to be finally warming to each other. But will the Serbian people put aside historic grievances dating back to the Ottoman Empire and welcome Ankara’s Balkan renaissance?

Media reports claim two former Turkish military attaches applied for a political asylum in Croatia following the failed coup there in July - amid continuing speculation about why the former ambassador was withdrawn.

The latest European Commission reports suggest most Balkan countries, bar Turkey and Macedonia, are broadly moving in the direction of reform – but big issues over corruption, the rule of law, media freedom and minorities remain.

Seven Turkish citizens were deported after entering Bulgaria illegally, but police said they never sought political asylum, despite Turkish media reports claiming they were supporters of wanted cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The Turkish PM told his Bulgarian counterpart to pass on the message that the EU must drop visa requirements for Turkish citizens in October if Brussels wants to send back migrants to Turkey as agreed.

Macedonia's Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki hinted that the government might have agreed to Turkey's request to close schools and organisations with suspected links to alleged coup plot leader Fethullah Gulen.